THE BRITISH Heart Foundation (BHF) this week called for residents to lobby their MPs to vote in favour of the ‘opt-out’ organ donation system which goes before Parliament today.
But, while the members for Bromsgrove, Mid Worcestershire and Northfield said they supported the idea, the fact that the vote was being held on a Friday meant only one of them would be at Westminster. MPs often spend Friday to Sunday in the constituency.
Nigel Huddleston, MP for Mid-Worcestershire, will be at Westminster today and voting.
He said: “I welcome Labour MP Geoffrey Robinson’s Organ Donation (Deemed Consent) Bill and I am glad that he has been able to work with the Government on a collaborative basis to draft it.
“I will be speaking in the debate and voicing my support for the Bill’s opt-out system of organ donation, which should lead to higher organ donor levels and save lives.
“I have been supportive of an opt-out system of organ donation in England for some time and have applied for House of Commons debates on this subject in the past.”
He added there were about 6,500 people currently on waiting lists for transplants and something had to be done to ensure they got their life-saving donations in time.
Sajid Javid, MP for Bromsgrove, added: “I am committed to encouraging organ donation across the country.
“In 2016, 500 people died while waiting for a transplant – a tragic reminder that this challenge has not yet been overcome.
“Late last year, the PM announced proposals to move to an opt-out system for organ donation, bringing this issue to the forefront of people’s minds.
“I hope that the ongoing work that the Government is doing will give renewed hope to those waiting for a transplant.
“Let’s do all we can to save more lives.”
And Northfield MP Richard Burden said: “It is a tragedy in the past ten years almost 5,000 patients died in England while waiting for an organ transplant.
“Many people not on the organ donor register would be happy for their organs to be used to save lives after their death and an opt-out organ donation system could save hundreds of lives.
“This Bill would transform the lives of many people suffering from debilitating conditions like heart failure, while also ensuring that families have the right to refuse permission for organs to be used after death.”
Figures released by the BHF showed 72 per cent of people in the West Midlands were in favour of the ‘opt-out’ system.
They also revealed 44 per cent of people were not aware of their families’ wishes when it came to organ donation, with two fifths (39 per cent) saying they simply had not thought about having a conversation on organ donation and a third saying it was too awkward or sad to bring up.
Residents can contact their MP about the issue by visiting bhf.org.uk/organdonation .
